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A new genus and species of centrohelid heliozoan Pinjata ruminata from the Tuzlukkol' River (Orenburg Region of Russia) and Gorʼkoe Lake (Chelyabinsk Region of Russia) is studied with light‐ and electron microscopy. Pinjata ruminata has two types of plate scales, partially running up the sides of the axopodia. Inner plate scales (3.2–4.9 × 1.5–2.6 μm) are flat, ovate‐oblong and have a broad axial thickening and a thin electron‐dense border. Outer plate scales (4.2–6.7 × 1.5–3.0 μm) are concave, elongated, of irregular shape, often curved, and broadened towards one end. Roundish depressions are forming two rows on both sides of the narrow axial thickening. The cells are attached to the substratum. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the SSU rDNA robustly placed P. ruminata in the family Yogsothothidae. This position is confirmed with the presence of five panacanthocystid increase regions. The morphology of the new genus is in a good accordance with diagnosis of the family. The status of a genus "Heteroraphidiophrys" is discussed. Other potential findings of Pinjata from literature are analyzed. Pinjata represents the third lineage of centrohelids, characterized with the presence of only tangentially oriented plate scales. The halophilic nature of Yogsothothidae is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Centrohelid heliozoans form a monophyletic group with uncertain affinities to other groups of protists. Except for a number of naked species, they have either siliceous scales or organic spicules covering the cell. According to the phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rDNA gene, it is hypothesized that scales are the ancestral form of cell coverings, while spicules are derived structures. The present paper describes a new species of centrohelids, Raphidiophrys heterophryoidea, isolated from the inner lakes of Valamo Island (North-Western Russia). This species has tangential scales, consisting of two plates, connected with radial, sometimes branched septa. Raphidiophrys heterophryoidea also has radially oriented spindle-shaped spicules. The organic nature of spicules and the siliceous nature of scales were verified by energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Such a combination of organic and siliceous skeletal elements in one heliozoan is novel for any heliozoan species. The complex bipartite structure of scales suggested placing this new species in the genus Raphidiophrys. Consequently, the diagnoses of the genus Raphidiophrys and the family Raphidiophryidae were amended taking into account the optional presence of spicules. Raphidiophrys heterophryoidea presumably represents a stage of shift from scales to spicules, which, according to the molecular phylogenetic data, occurred at least twice in centrohelid evolution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]